Reinforcing plate for fence posts



Dec. 19, 1950 A. E. BRlcKMAN EEINFoRcING PLATE FOR FENCE PosTs 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1948 INVENTOR. ALAN E. BRICKMAN ME/0E@ ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UNITE-o STATES PATENT oFF los;

REINFORCING. PLATE FOR FENCE .POSTS Alan E. Brickman, Worcester', Mass., assigner to TheV American Steel and Wire 'G'ompany of `New- Jersey, a corporation of Newl Jersey' Application SeptemberZ/i, 1948, Serial No. 50,909

SClaims: 1

This invention relates to a post reinforcing plate and more particularly to such a plate for use with a steel fence post. Fences are ordinarily laid out in a relatively straightV line so that there is a relatively small load applied to thev fence post transversely of the length of the fence. However, with thedeveloprnent of contour farming in which the furrows are plowed according to the contour of the land so that each furrow is approximately the same elevation throughout, plowed fields in relatively hilly country are surrounded by fences which do not extend in a straight line. Instead, each fence is arranged more or less in an arcuate fashion. As the tem* perature changes, the wires will stretch andcontract and as the wires contract they apply a transverse force to the post, which force is in addition to any other force normally thereon. To resist this force a stronger post is necessary. Thus, in making a fence in which part of the posts'are arranged in a straight line and'others are arranged" in a curved lineit will be necessary either to use posts of different strengths or to use posts all having the strength necessary for the maximum load. The latter course is more expensive than having posts of only the required strength. It is of coursedesirable to use standard posts of the minimum strength necessary.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a reinforcing plate for use-'with standard fence posts-which can be used to strengthen the posts when necessary.

These and other objects will'be more apparent after referring to the following specification and the additional drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my device;

Figure 2 is an elevational view showing the reinforcing plate;

Figure 3 is a side View of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken above the reinforcing plate.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the reference numeral 2 indicates a standard steel fence post of substantially U-shape with flanges 4 at the end of each leg of the U. The outer face ti of the flange 4 is provided with corrugations 3 for receiving the fence wires l0. The reinforcing plate of my invention consists of a bent plate I2 having a U-shaped portion I4 with a flange portion It at the end of each leg of the U. Fastened to each flange I6 in a suitable manner as by welding is a plate I8 (not shown in Figure l) which extends past the end of the leg of the U, so as to provide a groove 20. The lower part of each flange I6 is cut on a bevel 22 to facilitate driving of the plateiint'o theground; Adjacent the top portion of" the` plate' '2- is a cut-out portion 24which extends around the. U-

shaped portion thereof. A pair of' lugs Zextend into the top portion ofthe cut-out. When" iis desired to reinforce the post, the post is'driven into the ground in the usual manner and the plate I2 is slipped over thenanges 4V which nt' in the grooves 29; The ground plate I2tis' then` driven into the ground until the bottom ofthe opening 1T-isV slightlyabove'thev ground line 23'.

Fence wire Iiis'then pl'aced'inthecorrugations 8 which are located at substantially the same level asv the opening 24. The plate is then driven' downwardly until' it reaches the` position shown inFigure 1', in which position the fence wire it is located in the corrugation B behind' theA lugs 26. One or both of the lugs 2G isthen bentin- Ward'ly. tov prevent removal of the fence Wire. l'

and alsoto prevent' relative vertical movement between the fence post' and the plate I2;

While one embodimentr of my invention' has been shown and described lit will be apparent that other adaptations andA modications'may be made withoutV departing from the scope of the following claims'.

I. A reinforcing plate for a fence posthaving flanges extending inthe direction ofthe fence"` with the outer'face ofthe flanges being corrugated toreceive a fence wire, said plate compris.- ing a U-shaped portion, means cooperating with said U-shaped portion to form a. groove: at eachv end thereof for receiving the flanges' of the post,

35Jsaid U-shaped portion having a transversev cutout portion therein intermediate its ends said cut-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and a lug on said U-shaped portion extending into the cut-out portion and adapted to be :bent inwardly around said wire.

2. A reinforcing plate for a fence post having flanges extending in the direction of the fence with the outer face of the flanges being corrugated to receive a fence wire, said plate comprising a U-shaped portion, a plate fastened to each leg of the U-shaped portion and cooperating therewith to form a groove for receiving one ange of the post, said U-shaped portion having a transverse cut-out portion therein intermediate its ends said cut-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and a lug on said U-shaped portion extending into the cut-out portion and adapted to be bent inwardly around said Wire.

3. A reinforcing plate for a fence post having anges extending in the direction of the fence with the outer face of the flanges being corrugated to receive a fence wire, said plate comprising a U-shaped portion, a flange portion at the end of each leg of the U, a plate fastened to each flange portion and extending toward the opposite flange portion so as to form a groove for receiving one ange of the post, said U-shaped portion having a transverse cut-out portion therein intermediate its ends said cut-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence Wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and a lug on said U-shaped portion extending into the cut-out portion and adapted to be bent inwardly around said wire.

4. A reinforced fence post comprising a main post having flanges extending in the direction of the fence with the outer face of the flanges being corrugated to receive a fence wire, a reinforcing plate having a U-shaped portion, means cooperating with said U-shaped portion to form a, groove at each end thereof for receiving the flanges of the main post, said U-shaped portion having a transverse cut-out portion therein intermediate its ends said cut-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and a lug on said U-shaped portion extending into the cut-out portion and adapted to be bent inwardly around said Wire.

5. A reinforced fence post comprising a main post having flanges extending in the direction of the fence with the outer face of the flanges being corrugated to receive a fence Wire, a reinforcing plate having a U-shaped portion, a plate fastened to each leg of the U-shaped portion and cooperating therewith to form a groove for receiving one flange of the post, said U-shaped portion having a transverse cut-out portion therein intermediate its ends said cut-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and a lug on said U-shaped portion extending into the cut-out portion and adapted to be bent inwardly around said wire.

6. A reinforced fence post comprising a main post having flanges extending in the direction of 55 the fence with the outer face of the flanges being corrugated to receive a fence wire, a reinforcing plate having a U-shaped portion, a flange portion at the end of each leg of the U, a plate fastened to each flange portion and extending toward the opposite flange portion so as to form a groove for receiving one nange of the post, said U-shaped portion having a transverse cut-out portion therein intermediate its ends said out-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and a lug on said U-shaped portion extending into the Cut-out portion and adapted to be bent inwardly around said wire. 7. A reinforcing plate for a fence post having flanges extending in the direction of the fence with the outer face of the flanges being corrugated to receive a fence wire, said plate comprising a U-shaped portion, means cooperating with said U-shaped portion to form a groove at each end thereof for receiving the flanges of the post, said U-shaped portion having a transverse cutout portion therein intermediate its ends said cut-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and means for securing the fence wire, post and reinforcing plate together against relative vertical movement. 8. A reinforced fence post comprising a main post having flanges extending in the direction of the fence with the outer face of the anges being corrugated to receive a fence wire, a reinforcing plate having a U-shaped portion, means coopervating with said U -shaped portion to form a groove at each end thereof for receiving the flanges of the main post, said U-shaped portion having a transverse cut-out portion therein intermediate its ends said cut-out portion extending across the base and substantially into both legs of the U so that a fence wire can pass therethrough substantially parallel to said base of the U, and means for securing the fence wire, post and reinforcing plate together against relative vertical 4,5v movement.

ALAN E. BRICKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED rlhe following references are of record in the 50 nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 319,277 Lesher June 2, 1885 1,968,309 Paque July 31, 1934 2,046,250 Czemba June 30, 1936 

